With the Bruins moving on to in-person interviews, here's a look at the most likely candidates to become head coach
Bruins president Cam Neely said general manager
Having a GM in place for the foreseeable future is critical to attract potential head coaches.
Here's a look at some potential candidates:
Misha Donskov, Stars assistant coach
.
Perhaps the most popular name around the rumor mill. A longtime NHL assistant (with the Golden Knights and Stars),
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Donskov has never been a head coach but has held nearly every other position, including scout, video coach, and director of hockey operations.
Advertisement
Connection to Boston
: The former Norwich student was the only NHL assistant on GM Sweeney's Team Canada coaching staff at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Marco Sturm, Ontario Reign (AHL), head coach
.
Sturm has compiled a 119-80-17 mark with the Reign — the Kings' top affiliate. He's credited with helping to develop some of Los Angeles's promising young players. He also served as a Kings assistant for four seasons.
Advertisement
Sturm also has extensive international experience, highlighted by leading Germany to a surprise silver medal at the 2018 Olympics.
Connection to Boston
: An emotional player, Sturm spent five seasons with the Bruins after being acquired in the seismic Joe Thornton trade.
Joe Sacco, Bruins interim head coach
.
Succeeded Jim Montgomery following the 8-9-3 start to the season. Did a solid job keeping the room together despite myriad injuries and a roster overhaul at the trade deadline. Also served as Avalanche head coach for four seasons.
Connection to Boston
: Medford native and Boston University product, Sacco has been on staff since 2014.
Marc Savard, Maple Leafs assistant
.
Savard helped run Toronto's power play this season — a unit that often deployed five forwards. He previously served as an assistant with the Blues and Flames, and a head coach for the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires.
Savard has a reputation for his ability to effectively connect and communicate with players.
Connection to Boston
: Collected 74 goals and 305 points in 304 games across five seasons as a Bruin. Was forced to retire because of lingering effects from multiple concussions.
Peter Laviolette, ex-Rangers head coach
.
The most accomplished résumé out there. Laviolette has held head coaching jobs with the Islanders, Hurricanes, Flyers, Predators, Capitals, and Rangers. A Franklin native and Westfield State product, he led Carolina to the Stanley Cup in 2006.
Connection to Boston
: Served as a Bruins assistant in 2000-01 after leading the Providence Bruins to the Calder Cup in 1999.
Advertisement
John Tortorella, ex-Flyers head coach
.
Another well-traveled coach, the fiery Tortorella has been the head man for the Lightning, Rangers, Canucks, Blue Jackets, and Flyers. He led Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup in 2004.
Tortorella, who has a no-nonsense reputation, can turn around programs quickly but also wears out his welcome quickly with his brash persona.
Connection to Boston
: Was born here and played at Concord-Carlisle and Maine.
Jay Leach, Bruins assistant coach
.
Joined Montgomery's staff last summer after a three-year run as a Kraken assistant. Has a reputation as a top-notch special teams coach.
Connection to Boston
: Was Providence's head coach for four seasons (2016-17 through 2020-21).
Ryan Mougenel, Providence (AHL), head coach
.
Succeeded Leach behind the Baby B's bench. Has a strong reputation for developing younger players in the Bruins systems and preparing them for varsity action.
Connection to Boston
: Key figure at development camp, rookie camp, and training camp. Works closely with Sweeney for potential call-ups.
Jim McBride can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Everton mull move for Rangers' Diomande
Rangers midfielder on list of possible recruits for English Premier League club as Dundee United hope to bring young defender back to Premiership. Everton have identified Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande as one of several midfield targets this summer. (Daily Express) Advertisement Former club FC Twente are "seriously interested" in a return for Rangers defender Robin Propper. ( - in Dutch) Left-back Ridvan Yilmaz is another Rangers player being linked with his former club as Beskitas begin transfer talks. ( - in Turkish) Dundee United are among clubs interested in a loan deal for Charlton Athletic defender Zach Mitchell after the 20-year-old impressed for St Johnstone last season. (The Courier - subscription required) Sunderland midfielder Nectar Triantis, who has just finished his second loan period at Hibernian, has withdrawn from the Australia squad with his club future uncertain. (The Herald - subscription required) Advertisement Former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill would be "really surprised" if current boss Brendan Rodgers does not add to the 12 months remaining on his contract. (Scottish Sun) Dundee United owner Mark Ogren thinks the San Francisco 49ers' involvement with Rangers will increase revenue throughout Scottish football – and hopes it could be a step towards lifting the alcohol ban in stadiums. (The Athletic - subscription required)
Los Angeles Times
41 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
UCLA baseball defeats UC Irvine to advance to NCAA super regionals
UCLA baseball is one step closer to earning a trip to Omaha. The Bruins continued to roll in every facet of the game in the Los Angeles Regional final, scoring early and trusting its bullpen to defeat UC Irvine 8-5 on Sunday night. The Bruins advance to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 and will host the Texas San Antonio at Jackie Robinson Stadium this week. UTSA defeated Texas 7-4 in the Austin Regional final, taking down the national second-seed Longhorns to advance to its first-ever super regional. If UCLA beats UTSA, it'll advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., for the first time since 2013. UCLA's offense was just as ready to explode — like they did against Fresno State and Arizona State — against a depleted UC Irvine pitching staff (with high-leverage bullpen arms Ricky Ojeda and David Utagawa unavailable after pitching earlier Sunday). Rallying for six hits across the first two innings, the Bruins put together three runs thanks to RBI singles from Roman Martin and Cashel Dugger, and a sacrifice fly from Roch Cholowsky. UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu helped place the game in blowout territory — an 8-0 lead — when he connected for a three-run home run in a five-run fourth inning. Much like UCLA had done all weekend, the lineup kept on churning. Freshman right-hander Wylan Moss set the tone for UCLA's combined pitching effort. Moss, who entered the contest with a 2.25 earned-run average and an All-Big-Ten Freshman Team recognition, was as good as advertised to stymie UC Irvine, who came off an 11-run offensive showing earlier in the day. The six-foot-three righty struck out the top of the Anteaters lineup — Will Bermudez, Chase Call and Jacob McCombs — swinging on change ups. Moss, who had yet to pitch in the NCAA Tournament, was lying in wait for a game of magnitude. He pitched 3 ⅓ innings, giving up two runs and two hits, while walking three and striking out four. From there, a five-pitcher bullpen effort kept Irvine at bay, pitching 5 ⅔ innings of five-run ball the rest of the way to wrap up regional action in Westwood. Things got more complicated for UCLA in the sixth, when freshman right-hander Cal Randall gave up a solo home run to UC Irvine designated hitter Alonso Reyes to make it a three-run game, but right-hander Jack O'Connor entered to extinguish the threat — and set down UC Irvine outfielder Chase Call on a fielder's choice to close out the inning. It wasn't easy sailing for the Bruins in the late innings. Graduate student right-hander August Souza bailed UCLA out of a bases-loaded jam by freezing the potential go-ahead run, Blake Penso, on a full-count, 87-mph fastball in the seventh. When the Bruins needed it the most, Souza struck out two in a scoreless eighth, putting metaphorical champagne on ice in Westwood. Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk tossed a perfect ninth, striking out James Castagnola to end it, prompting the Bruins to run onto the field in celebration. UCLA owned the Los Angeles Regional title. Postseason baseball will remain in Jackie Robinson Stadium for at least one more weekend. Levu led all Bruins with three RBIs, while Cholowsky went one for three with two RBIs from sacrifice flies.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Coach Paul Maurice has Florida Panthers back in Stanley Cup final, fueled by his mix of laughs and hard work
Florida coach Paul Maurice keeps the day-to-day routine simple. Show up for work early and have copious amounts of coffee. Trust assistant coaches to do their jobs. Sit in on meetings when needed. Hammer home a consistent message with players. Swear a little bit sometimes, swear profusely at other times. Hey, it works. Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice reacts during the third period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Monday, May 26, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. Lynne Sladky / AP In the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season with the Panthers, Maurice's style — laugh-out-loud funny at times, incredibly smart and serious at others — continues to deliver results for Florida. He was 41-51 in his playoff career before coming to Florida; he's 41-21 in his playoff career with Florida. A coaching lifer, he already was well-respected within the game before the Panthers brought him aboard, but he never had anything close to a run like this until now. "I'm not being disrespectful to the other teams I've coached," Maurice said. "The team here, this is the best team I've ever coached. It's not really that close." Winners of the Stanley Cup last season, the Panthers will try for back-to-back titles starting Wednesday night when they visit Edmonton for Game 1 of a rematch. Florida beat the Oilers last year in seven games for Maurice's first Cup in a 30-year career. "Oh, I'll never get tired of hearing that," Maurice said. It's a hilarious game of tug-of-war that Maurice and the Panthers players are engaged in these days. Players don't want to be showered in praise for making a third consecutive Cup final; the coach insists that it's all about them and that he just pushes a few buttons here and there. The truth is that there's more than enough credit to go around. "He keeps things light, but he expects us to work our hardest and he's very prepared and — I know I've said this before — he can get you up for a Tuesday night game against Columbus or whatever in the middle of the year and it feels like a playoff game," forward Matthew Tkachuk said. "His speeches and his ability to get us to run through a wall each and every game is a big gift." The speeches aren't filibusters, however. Maurice thinks it's critically important to have the ability to go into the locker room, say exactly what needs to be said and depart without saying anything more or anything less. He's not afraid to tell his players that they're playing poorly. He's not afraid to tell his players that he loves them, either. He's also not afraid to make himself the butt of the joke. Florida was a 122-point, President's Trophy-winning team the season before Maurice arrived. The Panthers managed 92 points in Year 1 of his era. "Coaching," he quipped. The 30-point drop was in large part to the adjustment made by a stylistic change, and that change led them to the Cup final, but Maurice never misses a chance to make fun of how he turned a 122-point club into a 92-point club overnight. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones came to Florida around the trade deadline this season. He had a lot of learning to do — new systems, new expectations, new teammates, all of that. He also had to learn how to get coached differently, which he quickly realized wasn't a bad thing. Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice gestures during the second period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. Marta Lavandier / AP "It's different than what I've had," Jones said of Maurice's style. "I think he knows how to really take the temperature of the group and the situation of the group. And he can have a meeting where he's very intense, calling guys out or calling the team out. But he's also very good at throwing a joke in there, throwing a funny clip in there when we're doing video. He's very smart. I think he understands what the team needs at any given time. I don't think he gets too high or too low based on certain situations." That, the Panthers have learned, is critical. Consider how the title series went last season. The Panthers won the first three games and were on the brink of the Cup. Then they lost Game 4. And Game 5. And Game 6. The brink of the Cup became the brink of a collapse, real fast. Maurice started talking to his players about freedom and playing with that feeling. Game 7 was flawless. The Panthers won, and at the parade about a week later, Maurice ended his rain-soaked, highly profane remarks by throwing his arms into the air and yelling "Freedom!" at the top of his lungs to his team. "He gets the buy-in from the players and he treats all of us the same, which I think is really important as a coach and not to treat guys differently," Tkachuk said. "He expects us all to work hard and treat each other with respect and everything, but he treats us all the exact same. He's been a great coach and we're super lucky to have him here."
